On 15 May 2012, the Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Colombia will go into effect. Under this agreement, more than 50% of all U.S. agricultural exports will become duty-free in Colombia. According to the U.S. Trade Representative, the types of agricultural exports in highest demand will be:

soybeans

wheat

barley

“high quality beef”

bacon

“almost all fruit and vegetable products”

The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that the trade deal will add as much as $1.1 billion to U.S. exports. U.S. commodity groups have been in favor of the free trade agreement. The AFL-CIO and other U.S. labor unions have been opposed. In last minute negotiations at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, President Obama argued in favor of strengthening Colombia’s labor laws. The government of Colombia will will be establishing a new labor ministry, which will oversee new laws granting workers the right to organize, prosecute past cases of violence against unions and provide protections for them.